John Aaron Wellness

A study published by scientists at Stanford University has pushed the debate on whether or not organic foods are more nutritious than foods grown conventionally. In short, they say no. There is one exception though: organic milk. A few years ago media focused on a growing concern on childhood puberty. On average, it appeared that girls were reaching puberty at a much earlier age while boys were reaching their stage of puberty at a slower than normal one.  This gave rise to growing concerns over bovine growth hormone. BGH is commonly used to stimulate milk production on conventional dairy farms. Because the hormone occurs naturally in cows, and the Food and Drug Administration has argued that the additional BGH injected into cows does not change the milk. However, this is debatable. To maintain milk’s “organic status,” organic dairy farms are required to allow their cows to spend a certain amount of time grazing on natural grasses. It is believed that this in combination ...

Along with obesity, it seems that high blood pressure is epidemic. What’s amazing to me is that you don’t have to be overweight to have HBP. For that reason, many people assume they are safe from this disease and unknowingly increase their risk of stroke and death. For the most part, HBP doesn’t really carry any significant symptoms, which is why it has earned its moniker, “The silent killer.” So, what to do? Well, check your blood pressure regularly, especially if you are over the age of forty. Then, set an appointment to see doctor if you see a trend where your BP numbers are higher than 120/80. Your physician can help sort through the many medications that can help in maintaining your blood pressure. However, my preferred treatment is prevention thorough exercise and diet. It doesn’t have to be complicated either. A daily walk and some minor adjustments like adding cleaner foods to your diet may be all you need. Take cold-water fish for example. Cold water fish are rich in ome...

Ok. If you've been keeping up with my posts then you know that there are certain fats needed in order to maintain a healthy active body. But when it comes to designing your nutritional program, how much of this stuff do you really need? Most dieticians and government regulated nutritional organizations suggest that 20 to 30% of your total daily calories should come from “good fat” sources. To help you, here are a couple of tips on how you can accomplish this: Try adding 2 tablespoons of extra Virgin olive oil to your meal by roasting your vegetables in it. I love this! Place a peeled sweet potato, beets, carrots and celery (all cut into chunks & wedges) in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and toss with a little salt, pepper and roast on a rimmed baking sheet in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes (or until vegetables are at your desires tenderness). However, do NOT add oil to a meal if you are already planning to eat a fish like salmon which is already rich in goo...